AND
THE DISCIPLES CAME, AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHY SPEAKEST THOU UNTO THEM IN PARABLES?
HE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, BECAUSE IT IS GIVEN UNTO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES
OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT TO THEM IT IS NOT GIVEN. THEREFORE SPEAK
I TO THEM IN PARABLES: BECAUSE THEY SEEING SEE NOT (they think
they understand, but they do not); AND HEARING THEY HEAR NOT (they hear
and think they perceive, but they do not), NEITHER DO THEY UNDERSTAND.
FOR THIS PEOPLEíS HEART IS WAXED GROSS (or become calloused), AND THEIR
EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED;
LEST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD
HEAL THEM. BUT BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, FOR THEY SEE: AND YOUR EARS, FOR THEY
HEAR-Mt 13:10,11,13,15,16.
So great is the blindness some people have toward the Gospel
that the Scriptures tell us, BUT THOUGH HE HAD DONE SO MANY MIRACLES BEFORE
THEM, YET THEY BELIEVED NOT ON HIM: THAT THE SAYING OF ESAIAS THE PROPHET
MIGHT BE FULFILLED, WHICH HE SPAKE, LORD, WHO HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT (or message)?
AND TO WHOM HATH THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED? THEREFORE THEY COULD
NOT BELIEVE, BECAUSE THAT ESAIAS SAID AGAIN, HE HATH BLINDED THEIR EYES,
AND HARDENED THEIR HEART; THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, NOR
UNDERSTANDWITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL
THEM-Jn 12:37-40.
Therefore, Jesus spoke in parables, so that those whose hearts
were right toward God would understand, and those whose hearts were not right
toward God would not understand. As it is written, AND SOME BELIEVED THE THINGS
WHICH WERE SPOKEN, AND SOME BELIEVED NOT-Acts 28:24. Of those that do
not understand, once again, the Scriptures give us these words, HEARING YE SHALL
HEAR, AND SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND SEEING YE SHALL SEE, AND NOT PERCEIVE:
FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE
DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES HAVE THEY CLOSED; LEST
THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND
WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM-Acts 28:24,26,27.
The Scriptures tell of Jesus speaking to the people, BUT
WITHOUT A PARABLE SPAKE HE NOT UNTO THEM (He did not say anything to them without
using a parable-NIV)-Mk 4:34. As it is written, WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET,
SAYING, I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN
KEPT SECRET FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD-Mt 13:35. THE LEGS OF THE LAME
ARE NOT EQUAL: SO IS A PARABLE IN THE MOUTH OF FOOLS-Pv 26:7. AS A THORN
GOETH UP INTO THE HAND OF A DRUNKARD, SO IS A PARABLE IN THE MOUTH OF FOOLS-Pv
26:9. Godís Word further confirms, AND NONE OF THE WICKED SHALL UNDERSTAND-Dan
12:10.

How
can we understand the parables? As it is written, HOW THEN WILL YE
KNOW ALL PARABLES?-Mk 4:13. Unto some it is given to know and understand
these parables. As it is written, THE HOLY GHOST SHALL TEACH YOU-Lk 12:12; THE
COMFORTER...HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS-Jn 14:26; BUT THE ANOINTING WHICH
YE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIM ABIDETH IN YOU, AND YE NEED NOT THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU:
BUT AS THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, AND IS TRUTH, AND IS NO
LIE, AND EVEN AS IT HATH TAUGHT YOU, YE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM-1 Jn 2:27.
It is written, UNITED IN LOVE, SO THAT THEY MAY HAVE THE
FULL RICHES OF COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING-Col 2:2 NIV.

The
Bible gives another example of how people will not be able to understand the
mysteries of the Scriptures, unless their heart is right toward God.

THE
LORD HAS BROUGHT OVER YOU A DEEP SLEEP: HE HAS SEALED YOUR EYES (THE
PROPHETS); HE HAS COVERED YOUR HEADS (THE SEERS). FOR YOU THIS WHOLE VISION
IS NOTHING BUT WORDS SEALED IN A SCROLL (or words of a book that is sealed).
AND IF YOU GIVE THE SCROLL TO SOMEONE WHO CAN READ, AND SAY TO HIM, "READ
THIS, PLEASE," HE WILL ANSWER, "I CAN'T; IT IS SEALED."
OR IF YOU GIVE THE SCROLL TO SOMEONE WHO CANNOT READ, AND SAY, "READ THIS,
PLEASE," HE WILL ANSWER, "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ." THE
LORD SAYS: "THESE PEOPLE COME NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH AND HONOR ME
WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME. THEIR WORSHIP
OF ME IS MADE UP ONLY OF RULES TAUGHT BY MEN-Isa 29:10-13 NIV.
Because their heart is not right toward God, they cannot
understand the true meaning of the Scriptures. They cannot truly understand
that if they do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and obey the Gospel,
they will perish. They may think they understand the light, but the light that
they see is really darkness. For it is written, BUT IF THINE EYE BE EVIL,
THY WHOLE BODY SHALL BE FULL OF DARKNESS. IF THEREFORE THE LIGHT THAT
IS IN THEE BE DARKNESS, HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS!-Mt 6:23. For HE THAT
HATETH HIS BROTHER IS IN DARKNESS, AND WALKETH IN DARKNESS, AND KNOWETH
NOT WHITHER HE GOETH (he does not know where he is going-NIV), BECAUSE THAT
DARKNESS HATH BLINDED HIS EYES-1 Jn 2:11. Peopleís ways are right in
their own eyes. As it is written, EVERY WAY OF A MAN IS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES-Pv
21:2. Consider a person that is fully persuaded he understands Godís truth (the
Light), but he really does not. If he is positive that he is following the Light
(Jesus), but is really following the darkness (Satan), then HOW GREAT IS THAT
DARKNESS! The darkness in him is very, very great. He is walking in darkness
(he is following Satan) but is totally unaware of it. He does not understand
or believe that he will perish, because the darkness (or Satan) has blinded
his eyes (or his understanding).
When they hear Godís Word (which is the Seed), the fowls
come and devour the Word. The Word of God becomes trodden down. They hear but
do not understand, as the wicked one takes away the Word that was sown in their
heart-ref Mt 13:4,19; Lk 8:5. But they do not understand even this.
As the Lord says, THESE PEOPLE COME NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR
MOUTH AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM
ME-Isa 29:13 NIV. How hard it is to reach the religious man that believes
he is a good person and has done no wrong! How hard it is to reach the person
that is positive he is saved, but is not.
It is written, 1 Cor 2:14-BUT THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH
NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM:
NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM (or he cannot understand them), BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY
DISCERNED. This depicts one that is arrogant, drawing conclusions that are not
based upon truth. "Spiritually discerned" conveys that the natural
man is incompetent. He is not equipped to operate in the realm of faith, neither
does he seem able to truthfully examine the facts. He cannot recognize or correctly
understand the things of the Spirit of God.
There will be disagreements on very difficult passages regarding
Bible prophecy among Godís servants, but there is still love and a childlikeness
in searching Godís Word.
Among those in darkness, many are sure they are right, but
their love for Godís servants is often not as it should be. They are usually
not childlike when receiving correction. There is confusion in their understanding
of prophecy, though they cannot recognize it.
The words of Jesus give us further understanding. It is written,
Mt 11:25,26-AT THAT TIME JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, I THANK THEE, O FATHER, LORD
OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, BECAUSE THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE
AND PRUDENT (or learned), AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES (or little
children). EVEN SO (yes), FATHER: FOR SO IT SEEMED GOOD IN THY SIGHT (or this
was your good pleasure-NIV). We see the words of Jesus as He says, I THANK THEE,
O FATHER, LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, THAT THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM
THE WISE AND PRUDENT (or learned), AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES:
EVEN SO, FATHER; FOR SO IT SEEMED GOOD IN THY SIGHT-Lk 10:21.
Lk 18:16-BUT JESUS CALLED THEM UNTO HIM, AND SAID, SUFFER
LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME, AND FORBID THEM NOT (or do not hinder
them): FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD (or the kingdom of God belongs
to such as these-NIV). Those that are humble and childlike to Godís Word will
hear, understand, and receive Godís Word. The kingdom of God is made up of such
as these.
Those that are the children of God will hear and understand
Godís Word; however, those that do not hear, believe, and understand do so because
they do not belong to God. As it is written, Jn 8:46,47-IF I SAY (or tell) THE
TRUTH, WHY DO YE NOT BELIEVEME? HE THAT IS OF GOD (or belongs
to God) HEARETH GOD'S WORDS: YE THEREFORE HEAR THEM NOT,
BECAUSE YE ARE NOT OF GOD (or you do not belong to God-NIV).
Jn 18:37 NIV-FOR THIS I CAME INTO THE WORLD, TO TESTIFY TO
THE TRUTH. EVERYONE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTHLISTENS TO ME."
EVERY ONE THAT IS OF THE TRUTHHEARETH MY VOICE-KJV.

2-SOME
SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND

To them, it is not given
to know

These are fools

They are wicked

They are wise (or prideful)

They are prudent (or
learned)

They have an evil eye

They hate their brother
in Jesus

Their ways are right
in their own eyes

They come to Jesus with
their mouth

They honor Jesus with
their lips

A strangerís voice teaches
them; though this can sound like the voice of God, it is the voice of deception

They see but see not:
they think what they see is correct, but it isnít, neither do they understand
this

Their eyes have closed
to the truth

He blinded their eyes

They see, but do not
perceive

They hear but hear not:
they think they hear correctly yet are wrong and do not understand this

Their ears are dull
of hearing the voice of truth; instead, they hear another wrong voice (the
voice of the devil) in their ears and in their mind but do not recognize
or believe this

They hear, but do not
understand

They shall not understand

They do not understand

They do not understand
with their heart

They should not understand
with their heart

They cannot read a parable
with correct understanding

They are as one that
cannot read the Bible with correct understanding

They are as a lame man
whose legs are not equal

They are as a drunkard
when a thorn goes up into his hand

To these a parable is
as words that are sealed

Their body is full of
darkness

They think light is
in them, but it is really darkness

The darkness is great

They are in darkness

They walk in darkness

They do not know they
are in darkness

The darkness blinds
or deceives them

Their heart is waxed
gross

Their heart is calloused

He hardened their heart

Their heart is far from
Jesus

They are not converted

They should not be converted

They are not healed

They should not be healed

They saw the miracles
but still believed not

They could not believe

Some believed not

Esaias (Isaiah) said,
Who hath believed our report?

God hid these things
from them

3-SOME
SHALL UNDERSTAND

To you, it is given
to know

God has revealed
these things unto babes

These have the love
of God from which are the full riches of understanding